Pentagon budget 2024: DoD funds Leader, Manpack radio procurement, tactical network funds remain static

by Carlo Munoz

A forward observer with C Company, 1-508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division (Air Assault) uses AN/PRC 148 2-channel Leader Radio to transmit position location obtained from the Android Tactical Assault Kit during a live-fire exercise at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, in January 2019. (US Army )

The US Department of Defense (DoD) has called for a funding increase for the two-channel Leader Radio (LR) and the Manpackable (MP) variant of the Single-Channel Data Radio (SCDR), however, largely left coffers funding tactical network technology (TNT) development remain static, according to the department's fiscal year (FY) 2024 budget proposal.

The Pentagon's total request for USD769.4 million to procure LR and MP/SCDRs for five US Army brigade combat teams (BCTs) in FY 2024 is USD104.7 million above the department's FY 2023 request of USD664.7 million for those programmes, according to budget documents released on 13 March. Within that USD769.4 million request, USD765 will be set aside for the procurement effort, while the remaining USD4.3 million will finance ongoing research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) efforts already under way, the documents stated.


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Singapore validates enhanced AI-infused combat system at US wargames

by Ridzwan Rahmat

A Republic of Singapore Air Force Heron 1 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), seen here at Paya Lebar Air Base in September 2023. The Singapore Armed Forces' upgraded command and control information system is able to automatically detect and classify objects of interest in real-time video feeds provided by the UAV. (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat)

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is validating an upgraded command and control information system (CCIS) that seeks to improve the efficiency of its strike missions.

This new capability is being proven at Exercise ‘Forging Sabre' 2023, which is taking place from 11 to 30 September at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, US.

The CCIS is an indigenous system developed by the SAF in collaboration with the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA). It was first deployed in the command post at the 2021 iteration of Exercise ‘Forging Sabre' and incorporates features such as weapon-to-target matching algorithms.


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Ukraine conflict: Ukraine deploying 1,000s of Lithuanian C-UAS jammers

by Olivia Savage

The Skywiper EDM4S C-UAS handheld jammer, displayed at DSEI 2023 in London, is widely used by the Ukrainian army. Its dimensions are 1,045 (L) × 350 (H) × 250 (W) mm. (Janes/Olivia Savage)

“Thousands” of Lithuanian counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UASs) are operational with the Ukrainian army, Ivan Sybyriakov, manager of the unmanned systems centre at Ukrainian state-owned SpetsTechnoExport (STE), told Janes .

The C-UAS solutions in question are the Skywiper Electronic Drone Mitigation 4 - System (EDM4S) and the Skywiper Omni, developed by Lithuanian company NT Service.

The Skywiper EDM4S solution, which disrupts the UAS's control, video, and global navigation satellite services (GNSS) signals, is considered by the user to be the “best option for the regular soldier” because of its long-range (3–5 km line-of-sight) and relatively light weight (6.5 kg), he said.

He added that price was also an important consideration.

The system can operate for up to 1 hour and disrupts UASs operating on 900 MHz, 2.4 and 5.8 GHz, as well as GNSS L1 1.5 GHz frequency bands. Other custom frequencies can be added depending on the customer and local regulation rules, Sybyriakov said.


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DSEI 2023: Avon and Sonardyne work to enhance diver C2 and situational awareness

by Giles Ebbutt

The MCM100 with DiveTrack transponder. The transponder slots into the recess in the back cover of the rebreather, which is shown separate from the equipment. Note the wrist monitor and the LED head-up display in front of the mask. (Janes/Giles Ebbutt)

Avon Protection and Sonardyne have combined to develop a system that can provide command-and-control (C2) for divers when they are submerged.

The system combines Avon's widely used MCM100 multirole military rebreather with Sonardyne's DiveTrack acoustic transponder to give an underwater communications system with a range of more than 1,500 m. Speaking to Janes at DSEI 2023 in London, Ollie Clarke, business development manager underwater systems for Avon, said that the MCM100 has a suite of sensors that monitor the state of the equipment and elements of the diver's activity, such as breathing rate.


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https://www.janes.com/defence-news/c4isr-command-tech/latest/pentagon-budget-2024-dod-funds-leader-manpack-radio-procurement-tactical-network-funds-remain-static

The US Department of Defense (DoD) has called for a funding increase for the two-channel Leader Radi...

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